CBS axes radio show after prank

[Marnie]

I don't know the whole story, nor to full extent of the prank - but where is the line between clean poking fun at "quirks" of other cultures and dialects and such and that of offense?

What I mean is this: remember the scene near the end of "A Christmas Story" where the family goes to a Japanese restaurant for Christmas dinner? And the waiters are singing, "Deck the harrs with berrs of horry, fa-ra-ra-ra-ra ra-ra-ra-ra!"

Is something like that going to be deemed offensive?

Yeah, I love that part. It's FUNNY. If a person finds it offensive, don't watch the movie. How simple is that? I find Jewish humor absolutely hilarious, because, face it....it's rooted in truth! Oy vey!

[the inside out]

If the Feds had a part in it, then I'd scream censorship. But it's a private company and they can run thier business however they so choose.

But they're not. They are being coerced into conforming to somebody else's standards. The power of political pressure groups cannot be underestimated. Advertisers are basically whimps these days; they continually yield to every minority that cried "Foul!" It's really quite sickening. Today it's goof heads like Imus and a couple of other shock-jocks that are in their cross hairs. Tomorrow these fascists will come gunning for who? James Dobson? Pat Robertson? Rush Limbaugh? Your pastor, if he's on the radio or TV?

I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I think it's common sense.

They called a Chinese restaurant and made fun of people based on their race and ethnicity. The other two guys made jokes about raping women. There is nothing funny about rape! They are employees not independent broadcasters. Any company that would allow their employees to make direct racial comments to people and violent sexual comments against women is a company that doesn't need to stand. Is there pressure on CBS from the public? Yes! And there should be! Those guys need to be seriously reprimanded for what they did.

My pastor is on the radio and he doesn't make racist or sexual comments.

1. Don't listen to them. Problem solved.

2. I'll bet you your pastor is offending somebody with his sermons.

I'll agree, there is nothing funny about rape having been through it. But there is nothing funny about told what you can say and what you can't. These shock jocks are hired specifically to shock people. If they go too far, let them be reprimanded, not fired. After all, they were doing exactly what they were hired to do.

Please understand, I hate these guys, I do NOT listen to them. I practice self-censorship. I do NOT need a political action group doing it for me.

My pastor probably is offending someone. He preaches the gospel and the gospel is offensive, but he isn't making racist or sexual jokes. CBS has every right to fire them if they choose not to tolerate that kind of behavior. Firing employees (which they are first and foremost) for racist and sexist comments is not censorship. It's making the statement that certain types of behavior will not be tolerated in the workplace. If CBS wants to fire them, then they have every right to do that.

[rtwo]

If the Feds had a part in it, then I'd scream censorship. But it's a private company and they can run thier business however they so choose.

But they're not. They are being coerced into conforming to somebody else's standards. The power of political pressure groups cannot be underestimated. Advertisers are basically whimps these days; they continually yield to every minority that cried "Foul!" It's really quite sickening. Today it's goof heads like Imus and a couple of other shock-jocks that are in their cross hairs. Tomorrow these fascists will come gunning for who? James Dobson? Pat Robertson? Rush Limbaugh? Your pastor, if he's on the radio or TV?

I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I think it's common sense.

They called a Chinese restaurant and made fun of people based on their race and ethnicity. The other two guys made jokes about raping women. There is nothing funny about rape! They are employees not independent broadcasters. Any company that would allow their employees to make direct racial comments to people and violent sexual comments against women is a company that doesn't need to stand. Is there pressure on CBS from the public? Yes! And there should be! Those guys need to be seriously reprimanded for what they did.

My pastor is on the radio and he doesn't make racist or sexual comments.

1. Don't listen to them. Problem solved.

2. I'll bet you your pastor is offending somebody with his sermons.

I'll agree, there is nothing funny about rape having been through it. But there is nothing funny about told what you can say and what you can't. These shock jocks are hired specifically to shock people. If they go too far, let them be reprimanded, not fired. After all, they were doing exactly what they were hired to do.

Please understand, I hate these guys, I do NOT listen to them. I practice self-censorship. I do NOT need a political action group doing it for me.

My pastor probably is offending someone. He preaches the gospel and the gospel is offensive, but he isn't making racist or sexual jokes. CBS has every right to fire them if they choose not to tolerate that kind of behavior. Firing employees (which they are first and foremost) for racist and sexist comments is not censorship. It's making the statement that certain types of behavior will not be tolerated in the workplace. If CBS wants to fire them, then they have every right to do that.

I fully agree that companies have the right to hire/fire based on whatever criteria they choose. What I disagree with is hypocrites like Sharpton getting in their faces and demanding it.

[Marnie]

If the Feds had a part in it, then I'd scream censorship. But it's a private company and they can run thier business however they so choose.

But they're not. They are being coerced into conforming to somebody else's standards. The power of political pressure groups cannot be underestimated. Advertisers are basically whimps these days; they continually yield to every minority that cried "Foul!" It's really quite sickening. Today it's goof heads like Imus and a couple of other shock-jocks that are in their cross hairs. Tomorrow these fascists will come gunning for who? James Dobson? Pat Robertson? Rush Limbaugh? Your pastor, if he's on the radio or TV?

I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I think it's common sense.

They called a Chinese restaurant and made fun of people based on their race and ethnicity. The other two guys made jokes about raping women. There is nothing funny about rape! They are employees not independent broadcasters. Any company that would allow their employees to make direct racial comments to people and violent sexual comments against women is a company that doesn't need to stand. Is there pressure on CBS from the public? Yes! And there should be! Those guys need to be seriously reprimanded for what they did.

My pastor is on the radio and he doesn't make racist or sexual comments.

1. Don't listen to them. Problem solved.

2. I'll bet you your pastor is offending somebody with his sermons.

I'll agree, there is nothing funny about rape having been through it. But there is nothing funny about told what you can say and what you can't. These shock jocks are hired specifically to shock people. If they go too far, let them be reprimanded, not fired. After all, they were doing exactly what they were hired to do.

Please understand, I hate these guys, I do NOT listen to them. I practice self-censorship. I do NOT need a political action group doing it for me.

My pastor probably is offending someone. He preaches the gospel and the gospel is offensive, but he isn't making racist or sexual jokes. CBS has every right to fire them if they choose not to tolerate that kind of behavior. Firing employees (which they are first and foremost) for racist and sexist comments is not censorship. It's making the statement that certain types of behavior will not be tolerated in the workplace. If CBS wants to fire them, then they have every right to do that.

You people are completely missing the point. Don't let your distaste for these shock jocks and your faith blind you to freedom. In the case of Don Imus, he was contractually bound to be shocking; that's what he was paid to do. I can't speak for the others, but you can be sure CBS and NBC don't hire shock jocks to talk like Sunday School teachers. You aren't seeing the big picture, unfortunately.

[LynD]

While I think those comments are out of line, we need to look at a bigger picture also. Many stations carry Sunday services from various chuches, so if say one Sunday a preacher is speaking about homosexuality, will he be banned from the station because he said it is sinful and evil? There's a much bigger issue here we need to keep an eye on.

[Marnie]

While I think those comments are out of line, we need to look at a bigger picture also. Many stations carry Sunday services from various chuches, so if say one Sunday a preacher is speaking about homosexuality, will he be banned from the station because he said it is sinful and evil? There's a much bigger issue here we need to keep an eye on.

Ah, you get it!!

[hmh]

Political Correctness is killing this country. We can say this or preach that because some protected group will be offended and you will get fired or even jailed. I'm tired of all this PC garbage. When the truth becomes outlawed as it is quickly becoming, then maybe people will FINALLY wake up and realize it is too late.

[Guest]

Political Correctness is killing this country. We can say this or preach that because some protected group will be offended and you will get fired or even jailed. I'm tired of all this PC garbage. When the truth becomes outlawed as it is quickly becoming, then maybe people will FINALLY wake up and realize it is too late.

I look at "Political Correctness" like this:

In Nazi Germany, it was "politically correct" to call a death camp (what it was) a "work camp". If you didn't tow the PC line back then, something bad would happen to you or your family, or both. Extermination of the Jews was referred to as the "final solution". That was the "PC" term for murder on an industrial scale.

History does seem to repeat itself.

[Guest]

While I think those comments are out of line, we need to look at a bigger picture also. Many stations carry Sunday services from various chuches, so if say one Sunday a preacher is speaking about homosexuality, will he be banned from the station because he said it is sinful and evil? There's a much bigger issue here we need to keep an eye on.

I read an article some time ago about something like this in Canada. If I remember correctly, you could be charged with a "hate crime" for preaching the truth.

[rtwo]

I have a bumper sticker that says, "political correctness is intellectual fascism." I'm not one who lets my bumper stickers do my talking for me; but I do like the point it makes.